And one the the things that brought me great joy and still continues to do so is my Daily Thoughts series on my Facebook page Suzy's Ilation. These thoughts have inspired me, lifted me and made me more observant and aware of the world around me.

I chose the word Joy for the year. Have I lived in Joy? Not always but by and large there have been many joyous moments. And finding joy in little things has been my aim this year. That I believe I have achieved.

It hasn't been an easy year and I've had to deal with a lot but it's been a greatly satisfying year both on the work and personal front.

And there are 3 sleeps to Christmas!

Hope 2014 has been a good year for you. Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful 2015.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Just as the turn of a kaleidoscope sets up a new pattern, each turn we take in life, sets up a new path for us.

And where all components of the kaleidoscope are interlinked to create the pattern, so all our lives are interlinked. In fact all of creation is interlinked, each individual action affecting the whole.

And like the colours fade and are enhanced, sometimes our lives take a prominent role in the whole and sometimes we take a back seat. But all colours exist in each and create the overall effect. So our lives create and affect the whole.

So let all our actions be for the good of all and let all actions be done in love.

Friday, October 17, 2014

I think it was around the year 2004 I remember waking up one morning with a poem in my head. I must have dreamt it because with the words I could also visualise the poem.

I woke up feeling amazed, like I had somehow had a glimpse of the other side and participated in a cosmic dance with someone. It was the most serene feeling I had, yet exhilarating and joyous. The closest I can explain is circus trapeze artists swinging and dipping and swaying and flying but in bands of colour.

image source: google images

Thereafter, I woke up many times with a poem in my head.

And unlike dreams that are forgotten soon after waking, these poems stayed with me for hours and I felt a compulsion to pen them down.

We find inequality in all things: there is educational inequality, social inequality, gender inequality, wealth inequality, We are always comparing one against the other. We are either too thin or too fat, too short or too tall, rich or poor, aristocratic or uncultured, educated or illiterate, powerful or meek, in high positions or low ones, highly paid or not paid enough, favoured or picked on, privileged or underprivileged. We've even brought discrimination into religious beliefs. And by this list alone, inequality paints a pretty bleak picture.

But the Libra in me needs to look at both sides of the coin. Inequality provides us the means to improve our lot in life, to grow and expand our knowledge. Perhaps even more importantly to learn to make peace with our lives, to learn humility and compassion, to learn to overcome hardships, to share and help, and to learn contentment. For if all things were equal and there was nothing more to do, then what would be the point of life itself?

There is of course gender inequality that does need to be addressed particularly in patriarchal societies where women and girls really do get the raw end of the stick. But perhaps if we shifted our focus to the wonderful things that women and girls have achieved rather than focussing on the atrocities, we might create that shift in thinking. You know, collective consciousness is powerful.

This morning as I was reading my book these words jumped out at me:

"Never assume that anyone is fortunate or unfortunate because of the way things appear to be. Fortune or misfortune is just a human way of measuring."

And that got me thinking about inequality from a spiritual perspective.

Can I be sure that your life is better than mine or that mine is better than someone elses? We each walk our own path and we each have a pre planned blueprint of our life. By whose yardstick do we measure equality? So my question is:

Do we have the right to change the course of someone's soul learning by obliterating inequality?

Probably not and chances are that we will be unable to.

We do however have the right to fight for the injustices and atrocities that are conducted in the name of inequality or by circumstances created by it. And along the way we shall win some and we shall lose some and perhaps fighting to obliterate injustices and atrocities and thereby create a better world is the point of it all.

ABC Wednesday - A weekly Wednesday linkup. This is such a versatile linkup. You can post photos, poems, prose, songs. And there are some interesting posts to read too.

Ruchira's Wordless Wednesday - Post a picture and nothing more, or add a few words to make it a word-less Wednesday or write many words. There are no rules to Ruchira's Wordless Wednesday. And that's why I love it.

Thursday Photo Challenge - Post a picture on the weekly prompt. Some very enterprising photographers in this group. The prompts are great too as they are generic and not rigid.

Six Word Saturday - Post six words that describe your life in that week. You can leave it at that or write a long post. Your choice. Some very interesting bloggers in this group.

Sundays In My City - Say it in pictures on a Sunday. Again you can keep it short or tell a story. It's an enjoyable trip around the world.

Monday, October 13, 2014

I am convinced that books find me. So when a friend shared a picture from the facebook page The Afterlife of Billy Fingers, I was intrigued, And from there I was led to buy the kindle version of the book. So here is my review of that book.

Book: The Afterlife Of Billy FingersAuthor: Annie Kagan

image source: google images

What the book is about

In The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There's Life After Death, Kagan shares the extraordinary story of her after death communications (ADC) with her brother Billy, who began speaking to her just weeks after his unexpected death. taken from Amazon.com

Billy described to Annie his journey back to his spiritual home and along the way he relayed some delightful insights into life and death.

My views on the book

Written in simple language, it was a very easy read. There were parts of the book particularly towards the end that seemed a bit far fetched but of course this is about the afterlife so who knows what really abounds there.

On the whole it was uplifting and inspirational, a book you could pick up and refer to again and again. I am reading the book again and I find that I am enjoying it more on the second read and the messages seem deeper and more meaningful.

Some quotes from the book to give you a little glimpse into what you might expect from it:

A shift in perspective makes the particles in your Universe dance to new possibilities

We signed up to do this dance together before we were born

Get rid of beliefs that keep you running around following rules others have set down

I enjoyed the book and its messages resonated with me as a lot of what I read was what I believe too. Maybe the Universe sent this along as confirmation of my own beliefs.

If you are on a spiritual journey, this book may provide the means to expand your mind. If you don't believe in the afterlife, it may open your mind to that possibility. And if you are steadfast in your own beliefs then it may just be an interesting story to read and perhaps ponder over another day.

The reason I say "for yourself" is because if it was just any one wish we would either ask something for humanity or for members of our family etc. The idea is to answer this for oneself. But the question is not an easy one to answer.

The categories one could wish things for generally fall into these: fame, health, wealth, travel, love, spiritual enlightenment or some miracle one is hoping for.

I don't seek fame as with that comes great responsibility and many sacrifices. Besides I would not want fame as a granted wish but one I have worked for.

To ask for health could alter the course of one's destiny. To change the balance of karma inevitably means there are other consequences to bear.

Having a great abundance of wealth and spending it for the betterment of humanity could of course benefit many. But wealth is such a transient thing.

Travel as a wish simply does not appeal. I've had the good fortune of seeing a lot of the world. Travel for me is now about visiting people and travelling to places of pilgrimage. If God so wills it and if it is in my destiny, then someday I will visit the places I want to see. Travel for me is a wasted wish.

Asking for a miracle sounds exciting, but what would I ask for? Miracles are all around us, every day of our lives, if we view life itself as a miracle.

Besides all of the above are all temporary things, here today gone tomorrow. I would want to ask for something more permanent. Something that would remain with me forever.

As for love, I'm sure that the Lord made a soulmate for all of us and when the time is right, that person will appear in our lives. All things happen in Divine timing. Why hasten the inevitable? And maybe by speeding up the process, we create issues for ourselves when we are not in alignment for that meeting. For true love comes when we are spiritual vibrational matches and that takes time.

Spiritual enlightenment would be the ultimate, but to just have it bestowed, somehow robs me of the pleasure of discovering it for myself in this lifetime and across others.

In the end there is only one wish that would keep the balance of all the things I am meant to experience, discover and achieve on my own and live with me eternally. And that wish is to have a glimpse of that Great Spirit, my beloved Lord Rama. To spend even a moment in time with Him here on Earth would bring me joy and bliss that cannot be described in words. And having experienced that, what else could I ask for?

Saturday, October 11, 2014

About 3 months ago I started a Daily Thoughts series on my face book page Suzy's Ilation. When things aren't going well or some glitch appears in my life, I look back at the thoughts and find one that lifts me up or gives me that little impetus to go on, or helps me move on from a situation. So here is a list of those 10 thoughts that keep me going when life disappoints:

1. All things fall into place at the right time, in the right way

2. What is in your destiny, no one can steal
What is not, you won't get though you pursue with zeal

3. Sometimes it's just not your day (let it go and move on)

4. Change your perspective

5. Accept that some things cannot be changed.

6. There are no right or wrong roads. All roads lead to your destiny

7. When life overwhelms, prioritise and focus on the things that matter

8. We reach our destination one step at a time

9. The first step is the hardest to take

10. Be patient. Life needs to unfold slowly.

Rather than add my notes and influence your thoughts, I thought I would let you ponder on these and interpret them in your own way. I know that at different times, they have meant different things to me.

Share some of your thoughts. What inspires you to keep going and how do you console yourself when things don't go to plan?

Monday, September 22, 2014

Living in gratitude has enhanced my life significantly and most specifically it has brought me many moments of joy.

But those moments have not just come from the big things but the little things too. Like the little birds who feast on my leftover rice and bread. What a waste it would be to throw it all away particularly when so many are starving daily.

Gratitude makes you focus on the positive things in your life. There are so many negative forces surrounding us. When we find gratitude in the little things, we find a multitude of things to be grateful for and inevitably, we shift our minds into a positive frame. We often overlook the obvious like taking a short break and resting. Today I am grateful for the time off from work to rest and relax as these are therapeutic and necessary.

Living in gratitude nourishes your soul and also delights it. So taking a spiritual view in gratitude, today I am grateful for all those who have come into my life even if it was for a short period of time, those who have departed from my path and those who will appear in the future. For it is relationships that are our greatest teachers.

Pictures taken from my facebook page Suzy's Ilation. Drop by and read my other daily thoughts. Grateful that the Universe brought this idea to me as it has taught me many things. Each message that I post has arrived in observing people, nature, and the world around me (real and virtual). Also grateful for those who drop by and encourage me through this experience. Know that you are part of a greater whole. Thank you all.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

At The Write Tribe, we're sharing 12 Most .... So I've decided to share what I think are the 12 Most Romantic songs.

At least these are the songs for today as no doubt on another day a few more would surface and a few get dropped off.

So here they are (in no particular order):

1. Spanish Eyes by Engelbert Humperdink always tops my list. I've loved this song since I was 10 years old. Somehow I think I have a karmic connection with this song or it triggers some karmic connection.

3. A Time For Us (theme from Romeo and Juliet). This is such a beautiful song and R&J was a beautiful movie albeit sad. This is a song of hope for unrequited love. My friend and I saw this movie many times at the Saturday Matinee show. Leonard Whiting was heavenly respite after a boring university accounts class. But back to the song .. this one gives me the feeling that somewhere in the Universe is our special soulmate, that other half of our soul and that there will be a time for us.

5. Walk With Me by The Seekers is another song I've loved since I was a little girl. And Judith Durham has such a lovely voice. The Seekers sang some beautiful songs but Walk With Me is my favourite. Perhaps along with it's beautiful lyrics, it's also the melody that entices.

6. La Vie En Rose is the ultimate love song. Originally sung by Edith Piaf, but I love Celine Dion's version. And I like the French version better than the English one. The words of the song are so romantic particularly the last verse.

8. Andrea Bocelli's Besame Mucho always sends shivers up my spine. But I can never make up my mind whether I like the Spanish version better or Dean Martin's English version. So will have to share both. Again, beautiful words and melody in this song.

11. It is you I have loved from Shrek - some years ago at work we were asked what our wedding song was or if we didn't have one, which one we would choose. I chose "It is you I have loved". This is such a sweet song and the perfect love song. This is what I would want to feel when love comes along. Sharing Becky Taylor's version as I like her version the best.

12. The Shadow Of Your Smile. This song reminds me of someone who was close to my heart many many moons ago. Unfortunately he died so young but I remember the shadow of his smile. Sharing Perry Como's version as I think he captured the mood of the song really well.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

So many times we send a prayer up to Heaven and then wait anxiously for the answers to come. And then as time drifts on by and the answer doesn't seem to come we decide that there isn't really anyone up there looking out for us.

But the more I thought of that, the more I felt that it isn't really that the answers don't come it's more that we stop believing that an answer will come. Hence when it does, we just don't see it.

I've been blogging for 3 years now and have truly enjoyed all the challenges and prompts that I've taken part in. But always felt something missing. And then a few days ago it occurred to me that what I was missing was a spiritual prompt. Something that allowed me to make that connection with Spirit, to be involved in a like minded group where the interaction would lift me up.

Fiction doesn't do it for me. Now and then that's a fun write and read, but it just does not resonate with me. The real life stories of faith and love and hope are the stories I find inspirational and uplifting.

And so many weeks ago I sent a prayer up to Heaven. Told the Lord to find me a spiritual blogging group. Thanks Corinne (Everyday Gyaan) for leading me to the Five Minute Friday prompt. A place where I hope I can tell the thoughts in my mind that are led from my soul. Looking forward to linking up there.

Tell the Lord what you need, let it go and then He will find a way to bring it to you. Sometimes that occurs by chance, sometimes in an unexpected way, sometimes when you've forgotten you've asked. But the answers do come.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Now this is a message I myself should heed. I've done too many daily challenges this year and it has taken a toll on me.

The day just gets too long with work and blogging daily. There's just too many things to pack into one day. I've also neglected my other blogs, unable to respond to comments on my posts, done very little reading on other blogs, neglected self care, slightly sleep deprived, all of which does not make me happy at all.

So yes, all things in moderation. I think I'm done with the daily challenges for the year (because once I start I can't quit) and next year perhaps I'll do just one or two.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

So today I stared hard and racked my brains to come up with my daily thought. Absolutely nothing came to mind. I was about to flag it and post a song when suddenly the words for today's thought emerged.

How apt. While I was forcing the issue, the words stayed away and just as I stopped forcing the words to appear, they came right into my head.

Don't force things. If what you are trying to force isn't happening, either it's not meant to happen or you're trying too hard. Drop it and just go with the flow.

Monday, July 28, 2014

This afternoon I went for my usual lunchtime walk and then turned into one of the department stores to do some window shopping,

There was a big sale on all items so of course temptation set in and having promised myself that I would only window shop, I walked out with a bit of indulgence in a bag! I bought my favourite perfume Elizabeth Arden's Red Door. Did I feel guilty? Heck no. Retail therapy rocks!

Now and then a little indulgence is therapeutic - shopping, eating, taking a break from exercising - are all wonderful indulgences and necessary for our well being. Body, mind and soul also need some rest and recreation.

I'm pretty good at curbing shopping indulgences but eating and blobbing out are my favourite indulgences. Applying the 80-20 rule, approximately 1 week a month should be spent on indulgences (my view only). That just makes it easier to stick to all those difficult things like eating sensibly, exercising etc if you only have to do that for 3 weeks of the month. Works for me anyway.

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About Me

I dream, because dreams make life worth living. I write to share the insights of my soul. I rhyme because poetry brings me great joy. I photograph to capture a moment in time to remember forever.
And please credit my blog and link back to it if you reproduce anything. Thanks.